We spent the better part of the last two months preparing for Formula Drift to return to Source Interlink Media's Irvine, Calif. facility for Tech Day, the annual pro drift car preview and inspection, and encompassing car show. It's become quite the affair after mixed results in stints at Universal Technical Institute in San Berdoo and Super Autobacs in Stanton (when it was around).

Last year's Formula Drift event at the Orange County HQ of Super Street, Import Tuner, european car and Honda Tuning was completely insane in terms of attendees, and organizers were crossing their fingers lightning would strike twice.

It did. By the time the Formula Drift Tech Day event started officially at 10a.m., the massive parking lot behind the Source Interlink Media building was at capacity, as hundreds of enthusiasts came to check out the competition machines as well as take in the impressively big car show and meet. Import models Janey B, Maureen Chen and Sandra Wong were on hand to sign autographs, aftermarket parts were displayed in vendor booths for Mackin Industries and Tanabe, and food trucks Sexy Burger, California Grill Truck and Dos Chinos kept everyone's tummies stuffed.

Inside Source's tech center, Formula Drift Tech Day staff commandeered two lifts to scrutinize the pro drift cars. ARK Performance showed up with not one but two Hyundai Genesis Coupes, the AR7, last year's V6 powered entry now turbocharged and driven by Pat Mordaunt, and the AR1, a new chassis motivated by a 1,000-horsepower blown V8 and piloted by longtime ARK ace Dennis Mertzanis. Charles Ng also made a triumphant return after skipping the last two Formula Drift seasons to run touring cars, showing up with his Achilles Tire Infiniti G37 Coupe.

It seems a bit unlikely, considering how much was going on, but miraculously Formula Drift Tech Day 2014 went off without a hitch. And that's a good thing, because next year we're emboldened to go even bigger and better than ever before. Scope the video and gallery to see what Formula Drift and car show action you missed this year.

HKS Premium Day is one of those events in the world that you absolutely must add to your Calendar. There is no other time or place in the world where you will find the very best built cars in Japan in one place at one time!

Over the course of three days, Jofel and I took our supercharged, widebody, ex-SEMA show car Scion FR-S on a 1125-mile road trip. A first for Targa Trophy, this MegaRun journey would take us across three states.

Few recent releases have had such an impact on the tuner industry as the Scion FR-S/Toyota GT86 and Subaru BRZ. One could argue this fun RWD platform saved the tuning scene - illustrated at Tokyo Auto Salon the past few years.